Fig 6. Expression of early renal lineage markers in differentiating hESC cultured under Protocol A.

Pluripotent hESC were plated in suspension cultures to form embryoid bodies with supplemental growth factors as shown. Gene expression (qPCR) relative to the housekeeping gene EF1α was calculated using undifferentiated day 0 cells as the comparator. After 12 days of suspension culture, embryoid bodies were collected and plated on renal ECM or PSS at the air-medium interface in basal medium (arrows). Both scaffolds were equal or superior to embryoid body culture in upregulating renal lineage genes (N≥3 replicates). With the exception of SIX2, PSS were equal (OSR1) or superior (BRACHY, LIM1, WT1, PAX2) to renal ECM in supporting renal precursor populations.